The weather is very important to us, even more than just water cooler talk or the awkward stop and chat. The weather can hinder our productivity levels or give us a boost in energy to finish assignments quicker. Rain or shine, the weather can either help us or hurt us, which also has an effect on any given company itself.

Businesses may have to start realizing the weather can have a big impact on their company. Until companies transform the office landscape into a field of robots, businesses may begin to consider the weather as a big opportunity to improve the workforce’s quantity and quality.

Here are five ways the weather can influence your performance at work:

1. Sunshine Creates Disinterest at Work

Around this time of the year, we look back on the last few months of clouds, frigid temperatures, snow and heavy winds. Why? Because now is the time where birds sing, the sun comes shining through our windows, and the temperatures allow us to make an exit from our caves.

Indeed, it creates a great level of disinterest in our duties at the office. Instead of spending eight hours at work, we want to spend eight hours at the beach, patio or pool. Rather than concentrating on the tasks at hand, we’re just daydreaming about what we’re going to be doing after work. Of course, this hurts the business as we just don’t want to be there.

2. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), otherwise colloquially referred to as the winter blues or summer blues, is found in a considerable number of individuals. It takes place once a year, either in the summer or winter, and is now a common disorder. Some of the most common symptoms include nausea, oversleeping, overeating, fatigue and decreased sex drive.

The result? A disconnect from the office, a distraction from getting work completed and depression that may prompt a person to be absent from their desk. Thankfully there are treatments for SAD, particularly in the wintertime, when there is less sun around.

3. Old Man Winter Makes His Mark

During the winter season, when there are heavy snowfalls, frigid temperatures and a larger number of employees call in sick. This is because people don’t want to travel in this type of weather or cannot even exit from their driveway because of the amount of snow. Overall, if you’re in rural areas with horrid winter weather, then your productivity will be diminished.

4. Extreme Weather Events in High-Risk Areas

There is a correlation between extreme weather events in high-risk areas and mental health problems. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) suggests that millions of Americans could be at risk of mental health issues, such as anxiety, stress, substance abuse and suicide, because of climate-related matters. There is no doubt that mental health has become a contentious issue in the workplace, and if the weather can heighten this ubiquitous matter then companies will have to adapt to this issue.

5. Temperate Weather Brings Out the Best in You

Higher than average temperatures in the winter and lower than average temperatures in the summer generate contentment and overall happiness for people. We relish and thrive in moderate temperatures; too much cold and too much heat can make many people feel uncomfortable. If there is a balanced approach to the weather, then the working public will definitely be more tranquil when heading to work and will feel less distracted by the weather outside the building.

The reason strangers converse about the weather is because it’s a subject that we can all empathize with. Everyone knows the weather and everyone has an opinion on it. What many fail to fathom is that the weather has such a big impact on our lives, particularly at work. When it’s sunny, we want to be outdoors. When it’s cold and snowing, we want to be under the covers at home.

If businesses can somehow remedy these feelings, then productivity will not be affected at all by Mother Nature.